Muslim Conflict

We just learned about the Church of the East in China.

Another part of early Christianity was the Muslim Conflict.

Around 610 AD, a man named Muhammad started a new religion called Islam, and the followers of Islam are called Muslims.

Christianity and Islam were both spreading around Europe, the Middle East and Africa all through the years 600 AD and 700 AD, and people fought over which one was true.

Most of the countries in the Middle East, northern Africa, and even Spain and Portugal became mostly Muslim.

Christianity was still spreading into Western Europe, but many countries that used to be Christian switched to Islam for hundreds of years.


(from: wikipedia - spread of islam)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Quartodecimanism

Church of the East in China

We just learned about the Christian Nations in 600 AD.

Another part of early Christianity is the Church of the East in China.

People were going all over the world to tell others about God and Jesus, like Germany, England and Africa.

In the year 635 AD, a monk from Syria named Alopen went into a city in China called Chang'an, and met with Emperor Taizong.

The Emperor said it was ok for Alopen to go all over China and tell people about Christianity.
After this he traveled around and told people in China learn about God and Jesus.


(from: wikipedia - murals from the nestorian temple at qocho)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Hildegard of Bingen

Christian nations in 600 AD

We just learned about the Saint David.

There were a lot of Christian nations in 600 AD.

Around 325 AD there had been a lot of people going around telling people about God and Jesus, but there were only some spots around the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

By 600 AD, Christianity was in Europe at Great Britain, France, Spain, Greece and more.
It was in the Middle East through Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and more.
And it was in Africa at parts of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.


(from: wikipedia - christianity in the 7th century)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Didache - The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles

East Antarctica

We just started learning about Antarctica.

Antarctica is split up into two parts, Wast and East Antarctica.

The East part is the bigger part, and is sometimes just called Greater Antarctica.
It is closer to Africa and Australia, and the Indian Ocean.
The East and West parts of Antarctica are separated by a 2,000 mile long mountain range.


(from: wikipedia - west antarctica)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Forbidden City

Olmec Colossal Heads

We just learned about the Nubian Pyramids in Africa.

Another group of ancient sculptures are the Olmec Colossal Heads.

These are in the states of Veracruz and Tabasco, in Mexico.
They were made thousands of years ago, by the Olmec people who lived in that area long ago.

Archeologists have found 17 different heads built in the area, and all of them, from 4 feet to 11 feet tall.
Because they are so big and heavy, people think that these heads must have been made to honor rulers like kings or queens from those days.



(from: wikipedia - olmec colossal heads)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: He Zun

Akan Goldweights

We just learned about the Burkina Faso Masks.

Another work of African sculpture is the Akan Goldweights, made around 1400 AD in West Africa.

These are sculptures that were used as weights to measure how much gold someone was trading.
Each sculpture had a different weight, so if someone had found some gold and wanted to trade it in, they would use different weights to figure out how much money it was all worth.

The weights were made as different shapes to tell stories about the Akan people of West Africa.
Each shape had different meanings, like a shield might tell a story about bravery, or swords with two sharp edges might mean that two people were working together for peace.

There are many of these old gold weights in the world in museums, and people even today make them as souvenirs or gifts to keep as a reminder of the past.


(from: wikipedia - akan goldweights)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Flying Horse of Gansu

Benin Bronzes

We just learned about the Mask for King Obalufon II in Africa.

Another famous set of sculptures are the Benin Bronzes, from an old kingdom called Benin that is now part of Nigeria.

In the years of the 1700s, the people from Europe who were taking over parts of Africa did not think the art in all parts of Africa was very good.

Then in 1897 people from another country came to Benin and saw thousands of very good bronze and ivory sculptures that had been made over hundreds of years.




(from: wikipedia - benin bronzes)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Yixian Glazed Pottery Luohans

Constantine the Great

We just learned about the Battle of Milvan Bridge where Emperor Constantine saw a vision of God.

The Emperor Constantine was the first emperor to become a Christian.
He tried to bring all of Rome together and be the only emperor, and also changed the laws so people could worship however they wanted.

During his time he also had many battles, and used the Chi-Rho symbol on his army, and he believed it was God helping lead him into battle.

Because he helped Christianity and was the first Christian emperor, he later on was called Constantine the Great.

Under Constantine's rule, the Roman empire went all the way up to England, Spain, France, all the way over to Greece, Turkey and Israel, and even covered the northern part of Africa, like Egypt.


(from: wikipedia - constantine the great)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nicolaus

Big Blue Octopus

We just learned about the Pharaoh Cuttlefish.

Another type of cephalopod is the Big Blue Octopus also called the octopus cyanea or day octopus.

This octopus lives in the pacific, all the way from Hawaii to Africa.
It grows to about 3 feet long, and lives in coral reefs.

Like a lot of other cephalopods, this octopus can changes its color and whether it has bumpy or smooth skin.
It can even make stripes or dots on its body, or even make itself look bumpy like a rock.
One scientist studying a big blue octopus watched it change the way it looked 1,000 times in 7 hours!
Sometimes the octopus will even make moving and changing colors on its body, like a cloud is passing over head.



(from: wikipedia - octopus cyanea)


cyanea octopus camouflaging - noam josef


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Wyoming Toad

Lion Capital of Ashoka

We just learned about the Woman of Samaria by William Henry Rinehart in Washington DC, in 1859.

Most of the art we've learned about has been from Europe, the Middle East, or Northern Africa.

Let's learn a little about some art from the continent of Asia.

One of the oldest sculptures is the Lion Capital of Ashoka.

This was made around 250 BC in India.
At that time there was an emperor named Ashoka who wanted to have symbols of his kingdom spread across the country, so he had artists make large pillars with sculptures on top and put them all over.
There are about 20 pillars left that have not been destroyed, and the Lion sculpture is the one that has survived the best of all of the sculptures.

It is a very important symbol in India. It has been put on the national emblem, and the lotus flower shaped bottom base of the sculpture is on the national flag.


(from: wikipedia - lion capital of ashoka)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lewis Chessmen

Square Marked Toad

We just learned about the Japenese Tree Frog that lives in rice paddies in Japan.

Another type of frog is the Square Marked Toad, also called the African common toad, African toad, Egyptian toad, African bouncing toad, or Reuss's toad.

This is a true toad in the Bufonidae family, that lives in Africa.
It can grow over 5 inches long, and is a green brown color with warts.

When these toads are feeling scared, they sometimes will bounce around to confuse their predators, and try to escape.


(from: wikipedia - amietophrynus regularis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Snake - Internal Organs

Gaboon Viper

We just learned about the Savu Python.

Another type of snake is the Gaboon Viper.

This snake is part of the viper family, which are snakes that have long fangs and use venom.

The Gaboon viper is the world's heaviest viper, has the longest fangs of any viper, and also uses the most venom per bite of any viper.
They can be over 40 pounds, and over 6 feet long!

These snakes live in Africa, and even though they are very big and dangerous, they almost never attack people.
Their venom is enough to kill a person if they do not get to a hospital quickly, but some of these vipers have even been stepped on and still have not bitten the person.

They are checkered with black triangles and white hourglass shapes.

(from: wikipedia - gaboon viper)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Rough Collie

Striped House Snake

We just learned about the type of snake the Massasauga.

Another type of snake is the striped house snake, also known as boaedon lineatus.

This snake is found in Africa, and is found inside or near houses a lot where it eats up mice and rats that carry diseases and destroy food.
These snakes are not poisonous, so they are not harmful to humans and can be very helpful.
Lots of people keep these snakes as pets.

The word lineatus in the snakes name comes from the white line that goes down the snakes body.
They come in different colors too, black, red-brown or green.


(from: wikipedia - boaedon lineatus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Australian Cattle Dog

Lake Huron

We just learned about Lake Victoria in Africa.

The next largest lake in the world is Lake Huron.

It is connected to the US State of Michigan, and the Canadian province of Ontario.


(from: wikipedia - lake huron)

The largest island in any lake in the world is on Lake Huron, called Manitoulin Island.


(from: wikipedia - manitoulin island)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Delaware

Lake Victoria

We just learned about Lake Superior.

The next largest lake is Lake Victoria in the continent of Africa, bordering the countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania

It is the largest tropical lake in the world, which means it is very close to the equator.


(from: wikipedia - lake victoria)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Connecticut

New Jersey

We just learned about the US state of New Hampshire.

New Jersey is a state in the US, on the north east part of the country, right on the Atlantic Ocean.
It's nickname is The Garden State because there was a lot of farming there in the past, and it's motto is Liberty and prosperity.

It is the most densely packed state, which means it has the most people all bunched together in one small area.
It doesn't have the most people in a single state, but the people there are more tightly packed in than any other state.


(from: wikipedia - new jersey)

The flag of New Jersey is a tan color, with the state seal on it.
The seal has three plows for the farming that was in New Jersey's past.
There is a horse's head and a helmet showing that New Jersey is in charge of itself.
The two goddesses of liberty and prosperity are on the seal, which is the state motto.


(from: wikipedia - flag of new jersey)

New Jersey was a very important state in the American Revolutionary war, and there is a famous painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware river, on the way to go take back the town of Trenton, New Jersey.

(from: wikipedia - washington crossing the delaware)

Thomas Edison was a very famous inventor whose laboratory was in New Jersey.
He helped bring long lasting light bulbs, electricity and movies all across the US.

(from: wikipedia - thomas edison)

One day a large flying airship called the Hindenberg was flying into New Jersey.
There was a disaster and it burst into flames and crashed.
It was a terrible tragedy, and after it blew up people were afraid to use airships like that anymore.

(from: wikipedia - hindenburg disaster)

The 22nd and 24th president of the US was Grover Cleveland who was from New Jersey.
He was president back in 1885.

(from: wikipedia - grover cleveland)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: South Africa

Basenji

We just learned about the type of dog called Chow Chow.

Another type of dog is called the Basenji.
Basenji's are from Africa, and they are a very old type of dog going all the way back to the ancient pharoahs. There are paintings of these dogs sitting at the feet of pharoahs from over a thousand years ago.

The basenji's bark is different, and sounds more like a yodel or is sometimes called a barroo.

(from: wikipedia - basenji)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Dolphin

Liberia

The country of Liberia is in Africa on the west side of the continent.
Liberia has a very interesting history, because it was founded in 1820 by some Americans who wanted to end slavery. They sent freed slaves from America to Liberia to help have freedom in Africa.

The Liberian government was made to be just like America with a President, Congress and Judges.


(from: wikipedia - liberia)

Liberia's flag looks a lot like America's flag, because of their history of colonizing by America.


(from: wikipedia - flag of liberia)

To eat in Liberia you might have rice, fish or hot peppers.
Some of the food and recipes in Liberia come from the South in the USA.


(from: wikipedia - liberian cuisine)

Liberia has rainforests with wild animals, and also a long coastline with beaches on the ocean.

(from: wikipedia - liberia)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Turkey

Tunisia

We just learned about the country of Chad.

Tunisia is a country on the North East part of Africa.
It is on the Mediterranean Sea, and is very close to Italy.


(from: wikipedia - tunisia)

The flag of Tunisia is a red rectangle, with a white crescent and star in the middle.
The red is for the blood of the people in their fight for freedom.
The white is for peace, and the crescent and star are for the beliefs of the people of Tunisia.

(from: wikipedia - flag of tunisia)

To eat in Tunisia you might have lablabi, which is a soup made with chick peas, garlic and cumin spice served with bread.

(from: wikipedia - lablabi)

In the city of El Djem there are some very large old buildings, like a giant ampitheater where people used to watch performances.

(from: wikipedia - tunisia)

The flower Jasmine is very popular in Tunisia.

If a man is wearing white jasmine on his left ear, it means he is not married.
If someone gives another person white jasmine it means they are in love.
And if someone gives another person jasmine that is does not have any nice smell it means they are not being nice.


(from: wikipedia - culture of tunisia)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Russia

Chad

We just learned about the country of Senegal.

Chad is one of the larger countries in Africa, it is in the middle of the Northern part of the continent.

(from: wikipedia - chad)

The flag of Chad is three stripes, blue yellow and red.
The blue is for the sky, hope and water.
The yellow is for the sun and the desert.
The red is for the progress, unit and sacrifice.

(from: wikipedia - flag of chad)

To eat in Chad you might have smoked cooked alestes, which is a type of fish.

(from: wikipedia - alestes)

Clean water is not easy to get in Chad, so many people have to walk miles to get buckets of water to bring back to their town.

(from: wikipedia - chad)

The balafon is a type of musical instrument in Chad. It is a kind of wooden xylophone.

(from: wikipedia - balafon)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Iceland